This is a question every textile artist learns to dread. The answer is so variable. What constitutes "making"?

All the hours spent learning the technique and getting better at it? Designing and planning the project?

Gathering the materials? Doing all the prep with the materials?

Directly doing the technique (in my case, traditional rug hooking)?

Letting things go fallow for a day or a week or a month or a year because 1) life has gotten in the way; or 2) one is temporarily stuck, and there's a need to work out another way of proceeding?

Or taking things out and re-doing them, which is also quite common?

Plus, some textile arts are much speedier to execute than others.

And what about the finishing process, which can take quite a while?

It's nearly impossible to figure out the answer to that question. All of us get it all the time. It's understandable, but it's really a challenge.

So here's a picture of my rug between yesterday and today. Yesterday I hooked for about 3 hours and started-and-finished the upper left portion of the central figure (the zig-zaggy "steps"). Today I hooked for about 4 and a half hours and finished the "steps" on the right side of that figure, plus got one of the upper motifs done, and filled in more background.

And people wonder why a hand-hooked rug costs so much...

I do own a button that says "Slow Hooker."

Don't get me wrong, though, I loved every loop that I pulled. If I didn't totally love this, I wouldn't be doing it.

How do other artists handle this question at shows? I'd love to hear from you, so please feel free to add a comment. Thanks.

I love your list of "what constitutes making", and I would like to add that I often think, plan, research , and imagine a rug for years before I design, dye for it and make it. The actual hooking is the fastest part of the process for me...

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Devin

6/13/2015 03:32:07 am

Ain't that the truth. The hooking is definitely the fastest part for me as well, unless it's an unusually tricky piece, but that's rare for me as I like to spend my time just hooking without having to think too much when I get to the hooking stage. I do admire those artists who produce rugs that require much experimentation during the hooking process, but that's not what I want to be doing when I get to that stage. So like you, I do a lot "in my head" before I sit down to hook. Thanks!

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ABOUT ME

I'm a textile artist (traditional rug hooking, punch needle rug hooking, and other textile arts), long-time meditator and coach, focused on learning about the interplay of art, creativity, and mindfulness every day.

I am also a Certified Zentangle® Teacher (CZT 11) and a student of drawing and of the tarot.

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